Game board or table and appurtenances thereto



(No Model.)

J. L. DIBBLE.

GAME BOARD 0R TABLE AND APPURTENANGBS'THERETO. 180,288,889. PmentedAug-28, 1888.

Ziff/"la/ g,

ffl/y Mnem-es UNITED STATES Partnr einen.

JOHN Il. DIBBLE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

GAME BOARD OR I'KABLE AND;APPURTENANCESVTHERETO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 283,869, dated August 2B, 1883.

Application filed March 7, 1883.

To @ZZ whom t may con/cern.: Be it known that I, JOHN L. DIBBLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, in the State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Game Boards or Tables and Appurtenances Thereto; that the same has not been patented by me, nor to my knowledge by any other person in any foreign country, and that the same has not to my knowledge been in public use at any time or in any place, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Figure l represents a plan of the improved board or table,with the two sets of checkers or playing-pieces placed in position for beginning the game. Fig. 2 is an outline plan of a similar board or table, the playin g-spaces being numbered to facilitate the explanation of the methods of arranging the contrasting colors of the playing-spaces and of using the device.

My invention comprises an improved form of checker and chess board or table, and of the checkers to be used with it. made of any suitable material, and may be mounted in any desirable or convenient form, from a simple card or board to an ornamental table that may also serve as an article of household use or ornament. In this specifica tion I shall speak of it as the board, without regard to the form or manner in which it may be mounted.

The well-known games of checkers or draughts and of chess are usually played upon a board which is divided into sixty-four square spaces, generally of wtwmopontrastwingwcglors; My improvement consists in substituting for these square spaces spaces of hexaggiial form. This arrangement permits the convenient use of a greater number of checkers on a board of given dimensions in the game of checkers, and in both the game of checkers and the game of chess it affords a greater variety of moves to the playing-pieces, and renders many new and pleasing variations of the games practicable.

The games of checkers and of chess are played subject to rules which are well known to those skilled, and which are also published in treatises andtext-books on the subjects; It is therefore unnecessary to introduce them It may be (No model.)

in this specification, and I shall refer to them as the regular rules of the game.

In Fig. 1 the spaces that are .shaded with lines in the direction from a to d represent spaces of one color, those shaded with lines in the direction from Z to c represent spaces of another color,'and' those spaces which are left unshaded represent spaces of athird color. The choice of colors may be according to taste, or other distinguishing-marks than colors may be employed; but I deem contrasting colors the simplest and most effectual. In arranging the order of these colors it is important that no two immediatelyadjoining spaces be made.

the same color. To insure a correct arrange ment I proceed as follows, (see Fig. 2:) First, I make the row of spaces numbered 1 to 4,say, white; next I make the row of spaces num bered 5 to 8, say, blue; next I make the row of spaces numbered 9 to l2, say, red. Re peating, I make the row of spaces numbered 13 to 16 white, and continue the alternation of colors in same order until the colors of all the spaces are determined. Any other colors than white, blue, and red may be employed.

I provide for use, with the board a set of checkers of the'usual form-that is, suitably formed and colored disks of wood or other suitable materialconsisting of forty eight pieces, twenty-four checkers or pieces being assigned to eac-l1 of the opposing sides or players, the twenty-four checkers assigned to one side being of one color, and the twenty-four checkers assigned to the other side being of another and contrasting color-as, for instance, black and white. One-half (or twelve) of the checkers assigned to one side are to beara distinguishing-mark-as a depression or a raised spot in the center-fand one-half of the checkers assigned to the other side are to'bear a similar distinguishing-mark5 or of the twentyfour checkers of one side one-half may be of a light color and one-half of 'an approximate color, and of the twenty-four checkers ofthe opposing side one-half may be of a dark color and one-half of an approximate colorfor eX- ample, white and yellow on the one hand and black and brown on the other. rIlhe object of thus distinguishing the checkers nwill be here.4 inaftei" explained.

Vith the board and checkers as described the game of checkers may be played in a va- IOO riety of different ways, each affording the players opportunity'to use their skill in a different manner-as, for examples: First. What I call the full game, 7 played between tmplayers: The checkers being placed on the board, as shown in Fig. 1, the circles described with light lines representing .the light colored checkers and the circles described with heavy double lines representing the dark-colored checkers, and small central circles in either case representing the distinguishing-marks, (depressions or raised spots,) as before described, one player using the entire group of checkers on the side of the board a b, and the otherl player using the entire group on the side of the board c d, the players playing alternately. The player may move a single checkerof his own group to an unoccupied space immediately adjoining, either di* rectly or obliquely forward toward the side occupied by the other player, or he may captureone of his opponents checkers adjoining one of his own by jumping it-that is, by passing his checker over it to the space on the opposite side of the checker to be captured, provided that this space on the opposite side of the lchecker to be captured is unoccupied, and that the movement of the jumping checker be obliquely forward toward the side occupied by the opposing player. The game is continued, the movement ofthe checkers being governed b y the regular rules ofthe game of checkers, except that the players have the option of moving either directly or obliquely forward,

it being understood that the spaces corresponding with the spacesnumbered consecutively from l to 8 in Fig. 2 will serve for the kingrow7 on the one side, and the spaces corresponding with those numbered consecutively from 57 to 64 in Fig. 2 will serve in like manner for the other side. It will be found that the optionof moving the checkers either directly or obliquely forward permits many new combinations for attack or defense.

Second. A game between four players, two playing as partners against the other two as partners. The checkers being arranged as in Fig. l, one player using the twelve checkers grouped nearest the corner of the board a, and v his partner using the twelve checkers grouped nearest thev corner of the board b, these twelve i checkers being of the same color as Vthose of his partner, but bearing the distinguishing@ marks hereinbefore described, or being of an approximate color to those of his partner, the other two players playing as partnersy using the similar groups of checkers nearest?y the corners c and d, the players will play al ternately. Thus, if player at a play rst, the player at d will follow next, player at b will play; and player at c will follow; player at ai now plays again, and in this order the game` is continued in the manner described in the; first example.

Third. Again between four players eachg playing independently. The checkers being@v placed, one group of twelve being apportioned to each player, as in the second example, the players playalternately in the following order: rst the player at a,- second the player at c,- 7o third theplayer at '(3,' fourth the player at d, the players a and b having the privilege of capturing the checkers of the players c and d, and the players c and d having the privilege of capturing the checkers of the players 'a and 75 b,- and should either player get a king he will then have the privilege of capturing (with his king) the checkers of either of the other players, the game being' continued until all the checkers of three of the players are captured, the fourth player being the winner.

Fourth. The board may be used to play a game of checkers between m players in accordance with the regular rules of the game without variation, except as to the number of 8 5 checkers employed, one player playing from the side of the board a c, arranging his cheekers on the three rows of spaces nearest that side, the other player playing from the side b d and arranging his checkers on the three rows of spaces nearest that side, the play being conducted in accordance with the regular rules.

Fifth. The board may be used in a manner similar to that described in the fourth example by four players, either each playing independently, or two playing as partners against the other two as partners, by playing yfrom the sides, as described, and placing the checkers on the rows of spaces mentioned inthe fourth example, the checkers apportioned to either player being grouped in the corner nearest thatplayer, it being observed that when two are playing as partners against the other two as partners they play ina similar order to that described in the second example, and that when the players are playing independently they play in similar order and capture checkers on the conditions described in the third example.

Many other modifications may be made in the methods 'of playing the game of checkers on this board-as, for instance, a less number of checkers may be employed, or they may be arranged differently at the opening of the game, or the regular rules of the game may be modified in other manner than that I have described, but I deem the foregoing examples sufficient to explain to those skilled in the game the use of the invent/ion.

In using the board to play the game of chess, the regular j and well-known set of chessmen'v j are to be employed. rlhe following is what I deem to bethe best arrangement of the chessmen at the opening of the game, referring to Fig. 2, one player occupying the side of the board, a b, and the other the opposite side, c d, the pieces of the player a b being placed in the following order: On space numbered 1 a rook or castle; on space numbered 5 a knight; on space numbered 2 a bishop 5 on space numbered 6 the queen; on space numbered 3 thel A king; on space numbered 7 a bishop; on space numberedt a knight; on space numbered 8 a ICO ro ning in.the direction from a c to Z) d.

,the sides c c andb d.

45 pied spaces.

observed (see Fig. 1) that there are eight rows of alternately-eolored spaces running in the direction from a b to c d. These I callV parallels of alternate color. That there are sixteen rows of four similarly-colored spaces run- These I call parallels of single color. It will further be observed that there is a double series of diagonal or oblique rows of spaces, the number of spaces in each varying according to its position in the group-inst, rows of alternately-colored spaces crossing the board diagonally from the sides c a b to the sides c d b, and from the sides a c d to the sides a b d at an angle of sixty degrees from the sides a c 2o and Z) d, and at an angle of thirty degrees from the sides a b and c d. These I call diagonals of alternate color;77 second, rows of similarly-colored spaces crossing the board diagonally from the sides c av b to the sides c d b,

2 5 and from the sides c b d to the sides a c d at an angle of sixty degrees from the sides a b and c d, and at an angle of thirty degrees from These I call diagonals of single color.77 In order to make this combination of parallel and diagonal rows of spaces available in playing the game oi' chess with the usual set or' chessmen, modifications of the moving-powers of the various pieces are necessary, and the fol-lowing moves are what I 3 5 deem the best for the various piecesuviz., that the king may be moved to any space immediately adjoining the one on which itstands, or to the next adjoining space on the parallel of single color on which it stands. Thus, if

4o standing on space numbered 30, Fig. 2, it willI command the spaces numbered 22, 26, 27 29, 31., 33, 34, and 33. That the queen maybe moved along either series of parallels or either series of diagonals over any number of unoccu- Thus, if st-anding on space numbered 30 in Fig. 2, it will command the diagonals of alternate color beginning with the spaces numbered 16 and 17, and ending with the spaces numbered 41 and 4S, the diagonals 5o of single'color beginning with the spaces numbered 5 and 7 and ending with the spaces numbered and 53, the parallel of alternate color beginning with the space numbered 6 and ending with the space numbered 62, and

55 the parallel of single color beginning with the space numbered 29 and ending with the space numbered 32. That the bishops may be moved along either series of diagonals any distance, provided the intervening spaces are unoccupied. Thus,I if standing on space numbered 30,

Fig. 2, it will command the diagonals of alternate color beginning with the spaces num# bered 16 and 17' and ending with the spaces numbered 41 and 48, and the diagonals of single color beginning with the spaces numbered 5 and 7 and ending with the spaces :numbered 55 and 53. That theknights may be moved one space on the diagonals of single color or two spaces on the diagonals of alternate color, (whether the intermediate space on the diagonal of alternate color thus passed over be occupied or not.) Thus a knight standing on the space numbered 30, Fig. 2, will command the spaces numbered 18, 19, 21, 23, 37, 39, 42, and 43. That the rocks or castles may be moved along either series of' parallels anydistance over unoccupied spaces, or they may be moved one space along either series oi diagonals. Thus a rook standing on space numbered 30, Fig. 2, will command the parallel of alternate color beginning with the space numbered 6 and ending with the space numbered 62, the parallel of single color beginning with the space numbered 29 and ending with the space vnumbered 32, and the spaces numbered 18, 19,

26, 27, 33, 34, 42, and 43. With these niodications the game may be played substantially in accordance with the regular rules of the game of chess. In statingthese modified moves as being in my judgment the most suitabie to adapt the game of chess to be played upon this board I do not fix them arbitrarily. Those skilled in the game may modify them as they deem expedient.

Modiiications may be made in the plan of the board without departing from the principle of the invention, as the group may con-V tain more than sixty-four spaces 5 but as this number is ample for either two or four players in the game of checkers, and is adapted for the game of chess with the usual set of chessmen, I consider this number generally sufficient. The number of spaces may be re duced. This will permit the game of checkers being played in several forms with a less number of men or checkers.

I claim as my invention- 1. A checker and chess board havinga rectangular group of adj oining hexagonal playingspaces arranged substantially as and adapted to be used as herein described.

2. As an accompaniment to a ganielboard, a set of checkers consisting of forty eight pieces, of which twelve are ot' one color, twelve are of the same color and bear a distinguishing mark, twelve are of a contrasting color, and twelve are of the same contrasting color and bear a distinguishing mark, substantially as described.

3. As an accompaniment to a game-board,

a set of checkers consisting of forty-eight JOHN L. DIBBLE.

Witnesses:

HALLs BLAIR, WM. BLAIR.

IOO

IIO 

